By NNN-BSS,
Dhaka : Brushing aside all confusions and speculations, Chief Election Commission (CEC) Dr ATM Shamsul Huda expressed his firm confidence that a free, fair and acceptable election would be held on Dec 29.
“All criticisms against the Election Commission will be erased if we could present good and credible polls on Dec 29,” he said, adding the EC is trying to earn fame by holding such elections.
Dr Huda, however, said a level-playing field is yet to be created as some identified loan defaulters become candidates in the elections by filing writ with the High Court.
The CEC was addressing a roundtable at Senate Bhaban of Dhaka University as the chief guest.
Dhaka University Mass Communication and Journalism Alumni Association (DUMCJAA) arranged the roundtable `The 9th Jatiya Sangsad Elections and Our Media’.
About the code of conduct for media in the upcoming elections, the CEC said the election commission has decided not to formulate it right now as controversy has arisen regarding the matter.
“We became tired as we were engaged in tough works and we do not want to increase trouble by formulating code of conduct for media,” he said.
Dr Huda added: “Media policy is a highly sensitive matter. We have nothing to do about it and the political government will do whatever needed.”
Meanwhile, in WASHINGTON, US Ambassador to Bangladesh James F Moriarty has said the parliamentary elections on Dec 29 will lead Bangladesh to a party-based government ready to move forward in a positive direction.
He said both the former Bangladesh prime ministers have assured that their parties will attempt to implement manifestoes designed to ensure a better future for the people of Bangladesh and they realized the need to improve the political environment, to ensure a positive relationship between the governing and opposite parties and to combat terrorism.
James F Moriarty stated this at the hearing on “Religious Freedom, Extremism, Security and the Upcoming National Election” in Bangladesh organized by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) yesterday in Washington DC, according to a message received here today.
James F Moriarty said the caretaker government with respect to democratic transition has remained committed to the electoral roadmap announced in July 2007 and the military has pledged to support the return to democracy and there is no reason to doubt the military’s pledge.
“In fact, virtually all observers agree that the military did an exemplary job in registering over 80 million voters in less than a year,” he added.
The government has set the conditions for free, fair and credible elections by the end of December, and the Election Commission (EC) now has the power to bar certain types of criminals for participating in the election, he said.